Pre-Columbian in origin, huaraches are a form of Mexican sandal.
Due to their acceptance as a component of the hippie culture in the 1960s, huaraches became more well-known in North America.
They were widespread throughout North and South America at the turn of the 20th century. Although conventional huarache styles vary significantly, they are all quite straightforward.
Original designs were composed entirely of leather, but later versions also had woven string soles and, on rare occasions, thin hardwood soles.
Saddlemakers and leather craftsmen then came up with increasingly complex upper designs.
When rubber soles made from recycled automobile tyres were adopted in the 1930s, the modern huarache was born.
Simple sandals to complicated shoes are among the styles of modern designs that use both conventional leather and more contemporary synthetic materials.
Although many shoes make the promise to be huaraches, only those that are handmade and feature an upper made of woven leather qualify as classic huaraches.
Although its real history is unknown, the huarache sandal is unquestionably an item of footwear that predates European colonization of Mexico.
Due to the relatively durable and readily available nature of the materials used to construct the shoe, huaraches have become mostly identified with rural areas and farmworkers throughout Mexico.
These heavy automobile tyre soles gave huaraches greater endurance, and when combined with nailing rather than sewing, allowing huarache owners to wear their sandals for much longer.
In their most basic form, huaraches are only leather strips weaved through holes in the soles of the shoes to create complex (but occasionally not so complex) designs on the top of the sandal.
Some have an upper with a closed toe, others have a peep toe, and a few have a place for shoelaces built into the pattern.
Despite the fact that tan is still the most popular colour for huaraches, multicoloured and pastel blue types are now widely available.
In fact, the recent release of the newest Nike Air Huarache has firmly catapulted them into the spotlight of popular culture.
The upper portion of huarache sandals is constructed of tanned leather that is weaved into the insole. These days, manufacturers frequently use recycled tyres to create the bottom of huarache sandals.
They are weaved using a technique akin to that used to make sombreros or even woven fabrics.
The design on the top of the shoe is created by a shoemaker, or huarachero, weaving a continuous strip of tanned leather (often from cows), in and out of each hole in the insole.
When purchasing Huarache sandals, customers frequently want to save money, but the best approach to obtain the most value for the money spent is to choose a high-quality item.
Cheap Huaraches will break down or wear out pretty rapidly, necessitating the quick purchase of a new pair. If you get a pair of high-quality sandals, your investment will endure years as opposed to only a few months.
Do huaraches stretch out?
Yes, you can stretch out your huaraches. This can be done to make them more comfortable and easier to wear.
After the initial few times of wearing them, Huaraches sandals do stretch out. Since leather naturally tends to be a little stiff at first, wearing the sandals will cause them to stretch.
Huaraches are leather accessories and footwear meant to stretch and conform to the shape of your feet for a secure fit.
Remember that it’s a sandal that you need to shape to your feet and could be tight at first and that the stretching process typically takes as long as 3 wears.
Huaraches can be broken in by stuffing a moist (not wet) sock or a scrap of newspaper into the shoes to expand the leather naturally as well as by wearing the sandals and moving about a lot.
The Huarache sandal is breezy, flexible, and best suited for warm areas where it may be worn for the most of the year.
However, you’ll need to take more care of your sandals than wearers in dry locations if your area is unusually damp during some seasons.
Because leather is a premium material, Huarache sandals are not meant to be frequently wet.
Sandals called huaraches are quite cosy and airy. They additionally keep the foot properly aired to reduce sweat and odour while without requiring the wearer to wear socks.
Huaraches are adaptable in terms of stylistic combinations and provide ventilation without the need for socks.
Huaraches are very sturdy and reasonably priced; a person can get years of use out of a single pair of hand-made sandals.
Do Mexican huaraches run true to size, big or small?
Huaraches fit snugly in the start but after 2-3 wears, they do stretch out and run big. It is recommended that you purchase a ½ size smaller huarache.
Due to the woven leather strips’ ability to allow for greater shoe mobility, huarache sandals are made to fit snugly around the foot.
They are designed to precisely fit the foot and offer exceptional breathability, eliminating the need for socks for the wearer.
This particular aspect causes many users to discover that they require Huarache sandals that are either half or a full size smaller than their typical shoe size.
Online shoppers for leather Huarache sandals might not have the option of trying sandals on.
In these circumstances, it is advised to buy a shoe that is half a size smaller than the wearer’s typical size.
Huarache shoes are not only stylish summer footwear, but they also have considerable historical and cultural value in terms of recognising Mexican craftspeople.
They have existed for millennia and have evolved from being mostly practical footwear to becoming fashion statements in Mexico and the US.
They can fulfil nearly any practical function and size requirement and can be worn as an accessory with any style of dress.
